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James Neal

#81 · Left wing · St. Louis Blues

Born Sep 3, 1987 in Whitby, Ontario, CAN · 6'3", 212 lb · Shoots left · Drafted 33rd overall in 2005 by DAL (round 2)

Compare with a similar player

The forwards closest to him in points in 2011-12. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Henrik Sedin VAN · 81 P in 82 GP John Tavares NYI · 81 P in 82 GP Phil Kessel TOR · 82 P in 82 GP Ilya Kovalchuk NJD · 83 P in 77 GP Jason Spezza OTT · 84 P in 80 GP

Career

Regular season games only. Pick a season to see its game log below. Cap hit is what he counted against the salary cap that season, where it is known.

0204060802008-09: 37 points3708-092009-10: 55 points5509-102010-11: 45 points4510-112011-12: 81 points8111-122012-13: 36 points3612-132013-14: 61 points6113-142014-15: 37 points3714-152015-16: 58 points5815-162016-17: 41 points4116-172017-18: 44 points4417-182018-19: 19 points1918-192019-20: 31 points3119-202020-21: 10 points1020-212021-22: 4 points421-22

Points by season. The darker bar is the season shown below.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
2008-09 DAL 77 24 13 37 -11 51 171 194 0.48
2009-10 DAL 78 27 28 55 -5 64 200 174 0.71
2010-11 DAL 59 21 18 39 8 60 160 120 0.66 $2.875M
2010-11 PIT 20 1 5 6 -1 6 52 39 0.30
2011-12 PIT 80 40 41 81 6 87 329 108 1.01 $2.875M
2012-13 PIT 40 21 15 36 5 26 136 56 0.90 $5M
2013-14 PIT 59 27 34 61 15 55 238 58 1.03 $5M
2014-15 NSH 67 23 14 37 12 57 221 71 0.55 $5M
2015-16 NSH 82 31 27 58 27 65 268 113 0.71 $5M
2016-17 NSH 70 23 18 41 -10 35 202 84 0.59 $5M
2017-18 VGK 71 25 19 44 -11 24 202 44 0.62 $5M
2018-19 CGY 63 7 12 19 -5 28 141 46 0.30 $5.75M
2019-20 EDM 55 19 12 31 -20 12 112 88 0.56 $5.75M
2020-21 EDM 29 5 5 10 -2 11 51 26 0.34 $5.75M
2021-22 STL 19 2 2 4 -1 0 31 17 0.21 $750K
14 seasons Career 869 296 263 559 7 581 2514 1238 0.64

Playoffs

Playoff games only. Pick a season to see that year's bracket.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
2010-11 PIT 7 1 1 2 -1 6 20 8 0.29
2011-12 PIT 5 2 4 6 -3 12 28 11 1.20
2012-13 PIT 13 6 4 10 -3 8 51 17 0.77
2013-14 PIT 13 2 2 4 2 24 49 17 0.31
2014-15 NSH 6 4 1 5 0 8 25 21 0.83
2015-16 NSH 14 4 4 8 1 8 47 35 0.57
2016-17 NSH 22 6 3 9 -8 14 67 49 0.41
2017-18 VGK 20 6 5 11 0 12 64 49 0.55
2018-19 CGY 4 0 0 0 -3 0 7 11 0.00
2019-20 EDM 4 2 1 3 3 0 11 6 0.75
2020-21 EDM 2 0 0 0 -1 0 3 8 0.00
11 seasons Playoffs 110 33 25 58 -13 92 372 232 0.53

2011-12 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
80 40 41 81 6 87 329 108 1.01 12.2 19:08

Contract

$2.875MCap hitends in 2012, then RFA
$35KCap dollars per point81 points in 80 games
$271KCap dollars per goal above replacement10.6 goals above replacement
$5.3MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
+$2.4MValueworth minus cap hit; below zero is overpaid

His cap hit for the whole season, set against what he did in the regular season. Lower is better value. In a season still being played the cost per point starts high and falls as the games add up. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 367 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Who signed him to it, and when, are not on record. It runs through 2011-12, so this is its last season, after which he is a restricted free agent.

Season Cap hit
2011-12 $2.875M

Each season left on the contract. Only its cap hit and its end are known: how the pay is split by season, and any signing bonus, are not.

Contracts he has signed

Signed Signed by Kind Seasons Years In all Cap hit
2021-22 to 2021-22 $750K
2020-21 to 2020-21 $5.75M
2018-19 to 2022-23 $5.75M
2012-13 to 2017-18 $5M
2010-11 to 2011-12 $2.875M

Every contract on record for him, newest first, with the team that signed him to it and the day it was signed. The one covering 2011-12 is marked. An extension is signed while the contract before it is still running, often a year ahead. A row with no team or date is a contract known only by its cap hit, most often one signed since October 2024.

2011-12 playoff analytics

Regular season Playoffs

Rating

+2.9Goals above replacementsix goals are worth about one win
+0.5Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
+2.7Goals above averagethe five parts below added up
Even-strength offence+0.5Even-strength defence+0.9Power play+0.8Penalty kill0.0Penalties+0.5

The goals he added to his team's goal difference, compared with a spare-part player given the same ice time. Each part is measured against the league, so zero is an average skater. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance. A playoff run is too short to rank anyone on. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

-50510152010-112012-132014-152016-172018-192020-21Goals above replacementGoals above replacement, by season

On the ice

What happened at five-on-five while he was on the ice. What these numbers mean

66.2Corsi for %96 attempts for, 49 against
+15.1CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
73.3Expected goals for %3.9 expected for, 1.4 against
+28.0xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
67.3Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
33.3Goals for %1 for, 2 against
93.4PDO2.1% shooting + 91.3% saves
34Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

These are left plain: he has not been on the ice enough to be ranked. That takes at least 200 shot attempts with him out there, about six or seven games, and a quarter of what the busiest skater has. Over a game or two these numbers are mostly chance.

Who he played with

Forward lineGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Chris Kunitz · Evgeni Malkin · James Neal553:3063.868.50-1
Tyler Kennedy · James Neal · Jordan Staal23:5885.7100.00-0
Evgeni Malkin · Sidney Crosby · James Neal33:06100.0100.00-0
Steve Sullivan · James Neal · Jordan Staal22:00100.0100.00-0

The lines he spent the most time in at five-on-five, with the team's share of the shot attempts and expected goals, and the goals for and against, while they were out. The two shares are coloured as above, against the league's lines that played a fair amount together. Hover over one for its percentile.

Chances and finishing

Expected goals adds up how likely each of his shots was to go in, judged by where it came from, what kind of shot it was and whether it was a rebound. All situations, leaving out shots at an empty net. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

2Goalsnot counting empty-netters
2.3Expected goalsfrom 35 unblocked attempts
-0.3Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 1.40 expected goals per 60 minutes98th
Shot quality 6.6% chance per attempt29th
Finishing -0.3 goals above expected48thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of forwards he is ahead of, among the 83 who played at least a quarter as much as the busiest in these playoffs.

00.511.52Expected 2.3Goals 2

His goals and his expected goals as the season went on. When the goals line pulls away above, he is scoring more than his chances were worth; below, less.

Where he shot from

Every attempt he took in these playoffs, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. There is a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. "Show as heat map" shades the ice by where the attempts came from. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
Apr 3, 2012 @ BOS W 5-3 1 0 1 0 7 3 2 15:05
Apr 1, 2012 vs PHI L 4-6 1 0 1 -1 0 7 2 18:39
Mar 30, 2012 @ BUF W 5-3 1 0 1 -1 0 2 5 17:32
Mar 29, 2012 @ NYI L 3-5 0 0 0 -3 2 3 2 17:51
Mar 27, 2012 vs NYI L 3-5 2 0 2 -1 0 12 0 20:01
Mar 25, 2012 vs NJD W 5-2 0 0 0 1 2 4 1 19:38
Mar 24, 2012 @ OTT L 4-8 0 0 0 -3 2 3 2 17:13
Mar 22, 2012 vs NSH W 5-1 0 4 4 4 0 2 1 17:04
Mar 20, 2012 vs WPG W 8-4 3 1 4 3 0 10 1 18:07
Mar 18, 2012 @ PHI L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 21:23
Mar 17, 2012 @ NJD W 5-2 1 0 1 1 0 5 1 15:49
Mar 15, 2012 @ NYR W 5-2 0 2 2 2 0 1 2 18:41
Mar 11, 2012 vs BOS W 5-2 1 2 3 1 2 4 0 18:43
Mar 9, 2012 vs FLA W 2-1 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 22:17
Mar 7, 2012 vs TOR W 3-2 0 0 0 0 4 2 3 20:34
Mar 5, 2012 vs PHX W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 17:01
Mar 3, 2012 @ COL W 5-1 0 1 1 1 0 2 1 18:00
Feb 29, 2012 @ DAL W 4-3 (SO) 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 19:57
Feb 26, 2012 vs CBJ W 4-2 0 1 1 -1 0 2 2 19:05
Feb 25, 2012 vs TBL W 8-1 0 3 3 2 0 3 0 14:11
Feb 21, 2012 vs NYR W 2-0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 19:59
Feb 19, 2012 @ BUF L 2-6 0 1 1 0 2 3 5 20:10
Feb 18, 2012 @ PHI W 6-4 1 0 1 -1 0 7 4 19:06
Feb 15, 2012 vs ANA L 1-2 0 0 0 -2 0 0 1 19:03
Feb 12, 2012 vs TBL W 4-2 0 3 3 3 0 3 1 21:37
Feb 11, 2012 vs WPG W 8-5 1 1 2 2 0 4 0 18:23
Feb 7, 2012 @ MTL L 2-3 (SO) 1 0 1 0 4 3 2 21:12
Feb 5, 2012 @ NJD L 2-5 0 0 0 -4 0 5 0 19:55
Feb 4, 2012 @ BOS W 2-1 0 1 1 0 0 6 3 21:15
Feb 1, 2012 @ TOR L 0-1 0 0 0 -1 0 2 3 20:55
Jan 31, 2012 vs TOR W 5-4 (SO) 0 1 1 -2 2 2 1 21:53
Jan 24, 2012 @ STL W 3-2 (SO) 1 0 1 0 2 6 0 22:41
Jan 22, 2012 vs WSH W 4-3 (OT) 2 1 3 3 2 6 1 21:46
Jan 20, 2012 vs MTL W 5-4 (SO) 0 1 1 0 2 5 1 23:11
Jan 19, 2012 @ NYR W 4-1 0 2 2 2 2 1 1 20:18
Jan 17, 2012 vs CAR W 2-1 (SO) 0 0 0 1 0 6 1 19:27
Jan 15, 2012 @ TBL W 6-3 2 0 2 2 10 6 1 18:04
Jan 13, 2012 @ FLA W 4-1 1 1 2 2 0 9 1 23:28
Jan 11, 2012 @ WSH L 0-1 0 0 0 -1 0 4 3 18:04
Jan 10, 2012 vs OTT L 1-5 0 0 0 0 4 2 4 16:41
Jan 7, 2012 vs NJD L 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 25:17
Jan 6, 2012 vs NYR L 1-3 0 0 0 -2 0 6 2 20:52
Dec 31, 2011 @ NJD L 1-3 0 0 0 -1 0 4 0 18:28
Dec 29, 2011 vs PHI L 2-4 0 0 0 -2 2 2 3 17:57
Dec 27, 2011 vs CAR W 4-2 1 1 2 0 2 9 0 18:11
Dec 23, 2011 @ WPG W 4-1 1 0 1 1 0 5 2 18:40
Dec 20, 2011 vs CHI W 3-2 1 0 1 0 6 1 1 18:37
Dec 17, 2011 vs BUF W 8-3 1 1 2 1 0 3 1 19:27
Dec 16, 2011 @ OTT L 4-6 0 1 1 0 2 5 1 19:09
Dec 13, 2011 vs DET L 1-4 0 1 1 -1 0 2 0 20:54
Dec 10, 2011 @ NYI W 6-3 2 0 2 1 0 6 2 14:17
Dec 8, 2011 @ PHI L 2-3 1 0 1 -1 0 5 5 20:12
Dec 5, 2011 vs BOS L 1-3 0 0 0 1 0 6 2 18:40
Dec 3, 2011 @ CAR W 3-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15:49
Dec 1, 2011 @ WSH W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 16:14
Nov 29, 2011 @ NYR L 3-4 1 1 2 1 2 4 0 15:31
Nov 26, 2011 @ MTL W 4-3 (OT) 0 1 1 0 4 5 1 19:06
Nov 25, 2011 vs OTT W 6-3 0 0 0 -1 2 5 0 16:45
Nov 23, 2011 vs STL L 2-3 (OT) 1 0 1 0 0 6 0 16:28
Nov 21, 2011 vs NYI W 5-0 0 1 1 1 2 1 0 15:25
Nov 19, 2011 @ FLA L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 19:43
Nov 17, 2011 @ TBL L 1-4 0 0 0 0 2 6 0 21:30
Nov 15, 2011 vs COL W 6-3 1 2 3 2 2 1 0 20:14
Nov 12, 2011 @ CAR L 3-5 0 1 1 -1 2 3 3 22:07
Nov 11, 2011 vs DAL W 3-1 2 0 2 -1 0 4 1 21:31
Nov 5, 2011 @ LAK W 3-2 (SO) 0 1 1 0 2 4 0 22:25
Nov 3, 2011 @ SJS L 3-4 (SO) 0 2 2 2 0 8 2 20:53
Oct 29, 2011 @ TOR L 3-4 0 1 1 -1 0 2 1 21:46
Oct 27, 2011 vs NYI W 3-2 (SO) 1 0 1 -1 0 6 0 24:02
Oct 25, 2011 @ NYI W 3-0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 17:00
Oct 22, 2011 vs NJD W 4-1 1 0 1 0 0 5 0 17:38
Oct 20, 2011 vs MTL W 3-1 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 17:18
Oct 18, 2011 @ MIN W 4-2 1 0 1 0 2 4 3 16:45
Oct 17, 2011 @ WPG L 1-2 0 0 0 0 4 4 1 18:07
Oct 15, 2011 vs BUF L 2-3 1 0 1 -1 0 4 2 19:59
Oct 13, 2011 vs WSH L 2-3 (OT) 2 0 2 1 0 8 0 18:55
Oct 11, 2011 vs FLA W 4-2 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 13:51
Oct 9, 2011 @ EDM L 1-2 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 21:20
Oct 8, 2011 @ CGY W 5-3 0 1 1 -1 0 3 2 17:48
Oct 6, 2011 @ VAN W 4-3 (SO) 1 0 1 -1 0 3 5 17:55